Secrets of the Job Hunt

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Finding Philadelphia jobs in manufacturing maybe more difficult for at least the next few months. According to the most recent figures from the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Register, statewide employment in the industry has dropped by 1.2 percent during the last year.

The decline in jobs provided by this sector has been blamed on several different factors. Automation, mergers and outsourcing have caused part of the problem. Other contributing factors include rising gas prices, decreased consumer spending and difficulties caused by the housing market.

Between May of 2007 and May of 2008 the state lost approximately 10,684 jobs in manufacturing. Although significant, this decrease in employment is not as drastic as the one experienced the previous year when Pennsylvania manufactures did away with 21,449 jobs.

Industrial jobs in Philadelphia experienced a deeper decline that was average for the state. According to the PMR, positions in this sector were down by 2.3 percent between May 2007 and May 2008. Despite this, the city still had more manufacturing employees than any other area in the state. Philadelphia was followed by Pittsburgh, York and Erie.

Pittsburgh employers did away with around 1,300 manufacturing jobs since May of 2007, which is a 3.5 percent decrease. According to state statistics, the city’s condition mirrored the situation that is occurring throughout the state and the Northeast region.

Overall there are 19,269 different manufacturing employers in Pennsylvania. This industry provides jobs for 884,629 residents. These statistics make the state fifth in the nation for manufacturing jobs and plants.

Despite losing jobs, Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry faired better other states. Employment in this sector in New York fell by 3 percent and 2 percent in New Jersey. The Maryland-Washington region only experienced a .5 percent decrease in the number of jobs in this industry.

According to Tom Dublin, president of Manufacturer’s New based in Evanston, Illinois, says that despite the fact that manufacturers throughout he country are experiencing difficulties, there is hope that the situation may soon improve. “As wages in developing countries increase and fuel costs cut into freight-sensitive goods, some manufactures are bringing production back home,” said Dublin.